Especially in machines in which webs or films are transported, for example in paper machines, long and wide belts which recirculate in the machine and in that context support the webs or films are used. In paper machines these are predominantly textile felts or wires whose base is a woven or knitted fabric. One or more fiber layers are then needle-felted onto that base in order to manufacture felts. Felts of this kind are used in particular in the press section of a paper machine, whereas wires are utilized in the sheet-forming region and in the dryer section.